Let's talk Monoboxes

[Captain Wrong]

I've always been curious about this. Are there more decent to excellent monoboxes lurking out there? I think we all know El Diablo (long time wishlist for me!) I know that by the age of boomboxes, stereo was such a standard that mono was looked upon as passe. And from what I felt back in the day, I wouldn't have touched a monobox if you gave me one. Plus, all the ones I ever saw were cheap and weak, more like a shoebox tape recorder with a radio than a real boombox.

But I keep thinking about El Diablo. There's one that does it right. I'm an audio guy and let's be honest, most stereo boxes aren't going to have a ton of stereo separation anyway, just due to the speakers being so close together. Now, there is the potential for phase issues when you combine the channels for mono output. But with the speakers on most boxes being so close together anyway, you might still have phase issues if they existed anyway. Hmm...

So I'm really curious why JVC made El Diablo. It seems like someone there said we don't need stereo, but we do need a big fricking woofer and we can do it this way. Heck, they could have even made a stereo version like Big Ben. Make it a shared subwoofer and put stereo mids and tweeters. But they didn't. And I've always respected that.

Sorry for the ramblings. I just dig the idea of a really quality monobox, like El Diablo. What do you think? Love it? Hate it? Know of a sleeper monobox you'd care to share? Am I crazy (lol)?

 

[samovar]

Mono ghettoblasters are awesome, and they were common from the 1970s through the early 1980s. JVC itself produced at least one other memorable unit, the RC 443. My beloved Sanyo issued a few eye candies, such as the M 2438 or the M 2572. Toshiba had at least two outstanding units, the RT 2580 and the fabulous RT 2800. But possibly the brand with the greatest variety of high-end units was Panasonic. Look at the gorgeous RQ 564. R 5410, and the RF 5410. And then of course there is the scintillating Vela DK 3000 discolite...

I am no expert so I've undoubtedly forgotten a lot of heavy hitters. I'll leave to more experienced members the pleasure to add, correct, integrate, or show some terrific Sonys that must perforce be out there, up for grabs

 

[Hisrudeness]

Those National‘s with the ‘telephone dials’ really nice.
I found a 5410 in a bucket at a car boot.

Sony CF-490/495 are an epic mono

 

[Reli]

The El Diablo sounds so good, it doesn't matter that it's not stereo. JVC probably figured, "The louder the box is, the more likely it will be played outdoors at a greater distance, so stereo doesn't matter anymore"

 

[hopey]

 

[Reli]

Love the switches on that one

 

[Tinman]

Admittedly no where near as nice as the NP-5410 posted above but it's the only one I've got.

 

[sandyx]

RQ-548DS. It's an 8" woofer, thumps like a mini sub. Just not much highs. A heavyweight.

 

[Reli]

Always been intrigued by the National Rq-568, it has 3 speakers

 

[Captain Wrong]

I had no idea National did so many! Thanks for all the pics and info everyone. These are all so cool!

 

[Demonfinder]

The mono`s were my first step as a teenager moving away from little transistor radios -and then recording charts songs from the U.K. charts shows on a Sunday evening .
I think my first model was a Hitachi..not a clue about the model but it was fairly unexciting -all black plastic (more or less) i think.
When I had more cash and had discovered VU meters I wanted something classier and saved up for an Aiwa 300 ..lovely looking bit of kit along the lines of the nice Sony of HisRudeness.
Tinman`s General Electric looks great too
I no longer have it but am keeping a look out for a decent condition one at a reasonable price.

 

[Hisrudeness]

Admittedly no where near as nice as the NP-5410 posted above but it's the only one I've got.
View attachment 55652

handsome looking mono with a led and bass & treble

 

[Reli]

The mono`s were my first step as a teenager moving away from little transistor radios -and then recording charts songs from the U.K. charts shows on a Sunday evening .
I think my first model was a Hitachi..not a clue about the model but it was fairly unexciting -all black plastic (more or less) i think.
When I had more cash and had discovered VU meters I wanted something classier and saved up for an Aiwa 300 ..lovely looking bit of kit along the lines of the nice Sony of HisRudeness.
Tinman`s General Electric looks great too
I no longer have it but am keeping a look out for a decent condition one at a reasonable price.
View attachment 55672

Those are quite common on Ebay, but unfortunately people pay a premium for them

 

[mudman]

In a perfect world, most boomboxes would be mono, you have to be too close to enjoy the stereo separation for most people. A lot of audiophiles will tell you that a mono record with the right equipment also separates the sonics. I don't usually care, my head is under a car hood most of the time when I'm listening to music.

Portable audio makers were pumping up high-end mono boomboxes besides the Diablo, which might be the king of the hill. Sony, AIWA, Pioneer and even Marantz (Superscope) had some luscious models, the picture of the AIWA above doesn't do it justice, it's TOTL model for AIWA and shines like crazy with all of the nice plating and mechanics they shoved in it.

JVC and Pioneer were also contenders, while not as large as the Diablo they had some heavy models in the 70's that were slightly smaller but still packed with metal and electronics and amazing looking.

I'm not 100% sure but some may have stereo built in with LINE OUT that gives stereo for the tape and an extra speaker.

 

[BoomboxLover48]

I love those 5310 in two dial types. I have both. Sound quality was unbelievable back in the late 70s. It was the mono king before 5410 and JVC RC550 came out. When I first saw RC 550 I was so surprised seeing all those buttons on it and the size of it. I still have that same feeling when I see my mint RC 550. It looked HUGE back in those days.

 

[Hisrudeness]

I love those 5310 in two dial types. I have both. Sound quality was unbelievable back in the late 70s. It was the mono king before 5410 and JVC RC550 came out. When I first saw RC 550 I was so surprised seeing all those buttons on it and the size of it. I still have that same feeling when I see my mint RC 550. It looked HUGE back in those days.

i remember when I first saw a 550, I couldn’t believe how big it was.

 

[floyd]

I love those 5310 in two dial types. I have both. Sound quality was unbelievable back in the late 70s. It was the mono king before 5410 and JVC RC550 came out. When I first saw RC 550 I was so surprised seeing all those buttons on it and the size of it. I still have that same feeling when I see my mint RC 550. It looked HUGE back in those days.

I think JVC won the mono Box Wars before they even got started.

 

[Madadh]

I have a 1972 Sony CF-350, which is the first of the mini Monoboxes. It's really small, only has a single 3-⅝" speaker. But it sounds really good.

 

[Huffers]

I know you are all talking about great mono boxes, and this one is pants in comparison. However this Dixon’s special was the very first box of got for a Christmas present in the mid 70s when I was about 8. So had to share

 

[Demonfinder]

@Huffers ...
do we win a prize if we guess where the speakers are hidden on that one ??